West Bromwich Albion will aim to get stuck back into Championship action after the long international break with another early season win, potentially making it four victories from five league clashes in the process.
Dependant on results elsewhere this weekend too, the Baggies could head to the very top of the second tier summit with three points versus Portsmouth, as table-toppers Sunderland play the day before West Brom’s trip to Fratton Park.
Carlos Corberan could make a few changes for the tie to come on the South Coast, with Karlan Grant potentially dropped against John Mousinho’s men, despite managing to turn around his fading Baggies career so far this campaign.
Grant's season so far
The former Huddersfield Town man must have preparing to head towards the exit door this summer, having been chucked out on loan to Cardiff City for all of last season after finding his minutes at the Hawthorns had dried up.
However, after accumulating six goals and three assists from 40 games in the Welsh capital, Corberan must have seen enough in Grant to give him more chances to shine back in the West Midlands.
The returning 26-year-old attacker has shone in spurts since coming back, with the rejuvenated Baggies number 18 overjoyed with his headed goal against Stoke City late last month, which helped his side pick up a narrow 2-1 away win at the Potters.
Grant has also impressed in the three other league contests his side have faced off in, with three key passes registered last time out in a slim 1-0 victory against Swansea City, but he could now be dropped regardless.
It will be touch and go in the build-up to Sunday’s clash with Pompey, but if Grady Diangana passes all his late fitness tests and is deemed ready to be launched into action, he could get the nod over Grant, with the individual quality he possesses on his day far outshining the ex-Bluebirds loanee.
Diangana's season so far
The Congolese forward has had a stop-start time of things so far this campaign, only making two league appearances with a meagre 12 minutes averaged per clash.
However, at this vibrant best for the Baggies in the past, the former West Ham United attacker has proven himself to be a hard-to-contain forward for Championship defenders to keep tabs on.
24/25
2
0
0
23/24
38
7
8
22/23
31
4
3
21/22
41
2
1
19/20
30
8
7
That was seen last season when Diangana picked up seven goals and eight assists in league action, helping his side enter into the Championship play-off picture subsequently.
He will want to get up and running when it comes to his output for this campaign too very shortly, and with West Brom growing in confidence that he could be back fit for this test on the South Coast, he might be unleashed from the get-go instead of Grant.
This could prove to be a risky move, especially if West Brom push Diangana back into the first-team spotlight too soon and aggravate another injury, but switching up the side like this might well give the Baggies an advantage by springing a surprise.
Further, the “unbelievable” attacker, as he was once labelled by Baggies teammate Jed Wallace, will want to make it known that the spot down the left is his rightful spot – even with Mikey Johnston dramatically returning – having played down this wing 59 times in the past for Corberan’s promotion candidates.
Johnston might actually be the more logical choice down the left here, but the Spanish boss could well want to test Diangana out if he’s fit, over any new blood entering the line-up.
Whatever the XI looks like for Sunday’s game, the passionate Corberan will want to see his side battle away as usual to pick up another three points which would further solidify their top start.
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